It’s not every day you get to meet an Olympic medalist, and even more uncommon to have him give you some tips on his sport. But that’s exactly what children who have been involved in the Detroit Swims program got to do with Olympic swimmer Peter Vanderkaay.
Vanderkaay has been a big supporter of the Detroit Swims program from the beginning, since his mom, Robin, found out about it through a friend and mobilized the community of swim families to help raise funds and collect donated bathing suits. She also created “Vanderkaay-USA” T-Shirts for the Y to sell during the Olympics to benefit Detroit Swims.
After a triumphant time in London, where Peter won a bronze medal in the 400 free, he came back to Michigan and visited the Boll Family YMCA.
“I am a swimmer and I feel like everyone should have the opportunity to learn to swim–it should be a basic right,” Peter told the crowd. “There are so many great things about swimming that it can always provide something to enrich your life.”
It helped him learn to set goals, work hard, and manage his time, he said. And it also sparked his imagination. “To be successful, you have to be able to imagine yourself winning.” he said. “No matter what you do , be it swimming or school or music, find your passion and imagine succeeding at it.”
Before Peter spoke to about 100 Detroit Swims graduates at the event, senior program director Nikole Saffle shared some information about Detroit Swims. The number of children served has shot to 741, while the waiting list is down to 158. $88,000 has been raised for this year’s goal of $100,000. Next year more kids will be waiting to take swim lessons and need donated suits and funding to the tune of $65 per kid to do it, and that means a whole new fundraising goal.
Peter shared videos his family made while he was in London and then took questions from the kids. Interestingly, when he started swimming at age 7 it was because he wanted to be like his older brother, who was a swimmer. The Olympics were never part of his life plan until he got older and realized that he could be able to compete at that level. It took a lot of work, 10 practices a week adding up to about 25 miles of swimming. But it all started when he was a kid like them. “I just went to practices to have fun when I was a kid,” he said.
The best part of the day for the assembled kids was the chance to swim with Peter. Many of the Detroit Swims graduates lined up at the edge of the pool to hear his tips….something that will be a lifelong memory for these new swimmers.